Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-07-11
RATHER A pgcuLlAR ERRAND.


Sell Some Diamonds-Scared Gut.
A handsome private cab stopped in
front of an old established jewelry store
on Fulton street one day not long ago. A
tall man with very pale face and mourn
full black eyes alighted and walked into
the store All the clerks were at once
upon the alert to serve him. He was
elegantly but quietly dressed, and carried
himself easily and gracefully. He had
handsome face, with clear cut features,
and rather long black must he, but his
eyes were particularly attractive from
their peculiarly sad expression.
81 would like TO see the proprietor, " he
said in a quiet, manly voice.
A good looking young man, with jovial
twinkle in his brown eyes, stepped for
ward. "What is 1t can do Tor your ne
inquired.
mime is rather a peculiar errand, y said
the stranger. "a short time ago bought
a very elegant pair of diamonds, intend
ing to give them C. my wife to have made
into pair of earrings" Here his voice
became very soft, and he with difficulty
concealed his emotion. "Since then, he
continued in firmer tones, ''my wife has
died Her illness dated from the time she
received the diamonds, and / am sufh-
GENTLY superstitious to connect the dla-
monds with that sad event. am therefore
DESTROYS of getting rid of them as speedily
as possible, and / am willing to make
sacrifice in doing sou
As he spoke the jeweler watched him
closely. The stranger drew small pack
age from his pocket and handed it to the
jeweler. The latter quickly opened it, and
two large and brilliant stones rolled out
on the show case. The jeweler examined
them closely. "WeIl, don't know about
buying them,' he said. show much do
you want for them?'
ttWell,' said the man, obviously, 81
paid $4,000 for them. / am willing, in
order to get rid of them right away, to
sell them for 81 200"
The jeweler smiled slightly. "Where
did you buy them9' he inquired at length.
''At Tiffany's," was the reply.
The jeweler continued to toy with the
diamonds, and signs of nervousness began
to show themselves in the face Of their
owner.
''You are quite sure that you paid
$1,000 for them?'' said the jeweler, sud
denly, looking the man full in the face.
The latter started alsd turned shade
paler.
Certainly; that is, / believe did, !" he
III 10 SOLHC Ol1llC CSO, anu
have been so upset by my affliction since
then that may have forgotten the exact
price"
"You I've in town, presumed" contin
ued the jeweler, still keeping his gaze
firmly fixed on his customers face
"Yes-that is, no; don't just at pres
ent / did live at the Windsor. am
living with some friends in the country
just now"
"Qufte sure about that aren't your
said the jeweler in a quizzing tone.
BY this time the stranger had become
very weak b, his legs and more or less
shaky all over. His hands trembled vio-
lently despite all efforts to control them
and his face was white and drawn.
Gathering himself together he said, in a
tone of pretended Indignation, "What do
you mean, sir, by that question? Iwould
not sell the diamonds TO you now at any
price. / did not expect to be insulted
when I came here. win trouble you TO
return my diamonds" and he put out his
hand to tske them.
''Oh, no, returned the jeweler, quietly
smiling. "You are right in saying that
you will not sell them to me, but you will
not take them away either. Those dia-
monds are stolen"
Its lie, I" cried the man, his features
contracted. ''Gve them to me y
The jeweler did not move, but continued
to smile pleasantly. eff you wish / viii
call in a policeman, +" he said.
The fellow shrank back, and without
another word ran out of the store. Quickly
whispering to the coachman he jumped
into the cab and was rapidly driven away.
"You had considerable nerve to un-
mask that fellow" the reporter observed.
s'Why, took him for some bank presi-
dent or retired Cr9sus from his appear
ance and style of his turnout"
The jeweler laughed ut is not the
first time that such thing has happened, -
he said. "a jeweler in this city has to be
continually on the qui vive to avoid being
taken in by swindlers. / had the same
opinion of this man that you did until he
began to tell me about these stones. AS
soon as he said that he had bought them
at Tiffany's for $4,000 know they were
stolen"
"Whysn asked the reporter.
because Tiffany could not buy them
for that sum. Those Jewels are worth at
least SO, 800 at first cost That is the way
we catch most thieves. We ply them with
questions about the jewels they want to
sal until they give themselves away"
'What do you do with the jewelry?''
''We try to find the rightful owner. -
Sew York Sun.